‘Crimson Tide’

This tale of seething conflicts aboard an American submarine on the eve of nuclear war is strictly by-the-numbers, but hardly ever are traditional elements executed with such panache. “Crimson Tide” is one of the rare times when a whole mess of commercial elements are thrown together and everything works out for the best. It’s capped by taut performances by stars Denzel Washington (left) and Gene Hackman (right). The relationship between Washington’s lieutenant commander of Trident submarine and Hackman’s ultra-tough captain is the fissionable core of the film and one of several places where the spare script makes its expertise felt (Showtime Friday at 8 p.m.).